Three-handed chess
Encyclopedia
Three-player chess (and other games) variants are the hardest to design fairly, because the imbalance created when two gang up on one is usually too great for the player to withstand. Some versions avoid this problem by deciding victory such that the third player loses as well as the checkmated player, leaving the player who delivers checkmate first to be the victor.
Hexagonal board
Many three-player chess variants use a hexagonal board. Pieces move usually as in one of versions of hexagonal chess:- ThreeChessThreeChessThreeChess is the first online three-handed chess. It is online game based on known chess rules but adapted for three players. The game is developed in a way it is balanced to entertain every player and provide exciting gaming experience....
: three-player chess played on a hexagonal board with classical chess rules, adapted for three players. It is available multiplayer and free to play online at www.ThreeChess.com. - Chesh: by Gianluca Moro.
- Chexs: by Stephen P. Kennedy.
- Echexs: by Jean-Louis Cazaux.
- HEXChess: commercial chess variant by HEXchess Inc.
- Three-way chess: invented by Richard HarshmanRichard HarshmanDr Richard A. Harshman was a member of the Department of Psychology of the University of Western Ontario since 1976, rising in the ranks to the level of Full Professor. He died suddenly on Thursday, January 10, 2008....
. It is played by three players on a six-sided board with hexagonal cells. - Trichess: by Christophe Langronier, three-player chess with a non-aggression rule preventing a player who is in inferiority to be attacked by the others, in order to maintain the strategic aspect of the game. Available free to play online at Online Trichess.
Three-sided board
Often a special three-sided board is used (as shown in the picture above):- Self's variant: by Hency J. Self (1894).
- Three player chess: by Robert ZubrinRobert ZubrinRobert Zubrin is an American aerospace engineer and author, best known for his advocacy of the manned exploration of Mars. He was the driving force behind Mars Direct—a proposal intended to produce significant reductions in the cost and complexity of such a mission...
(1972). The patent for this game describes a variant in which whoever is first to checkmate one of the other two players gains control of that player's forces. If more than one player's pieces contribute to a checkmate, this applies to whoever makes the final move that causes a checkmate. - Triple chess: the chess board is extended with 8x3 rectangles on 3 sides. The game was invented by Philip Marinelli in 1722.
- Triochess: from 1975.
- Waider's game: by Waider (1837).
Other boards
Besides hexagonal and three-sided boards, some other board forms were tried:- 3-color chess: uses a special three-dimensional board or can be used with three-colored boards.
- 3 Man Chess: uses a round board.
- Orwell chess: cylindrical board is used, similar to cylinder chessCylinder chessCylinder chess is a chess variant with an unusual board. The game is played as if the board were a cylinder, with the left side of the board joined to the right side...
. - Megachess: uses a triangular board.
Strategy
The introduction of a third player drastically changes the style of play, even if standard pieces are used. Many chess openings are useless due to the extended board and third player. The introduction of the 'extra' move by the third player can introduce situations of deadlock, for example if a white piece is undefended and simultaneously attacked by both black and red pieces. Black cannot take the white piece, since red would then capture the black piece next turn. Thus the black and red pieces are both simultaneously attacking the white piece and defending it from attack by the other player. In similar situations, a piece can move quite safely into a square where it is attacked by both opponents, since neither opponent would take the piece and risk capture by the third player. Each player must think twice as far ahead — anticipating the moves of both opponents, with the added complexity that the next player may move to attack either of his opponents.In games where the third player loses as well as the checkmated one, players must concentrate not only on their own attack and defense, but also on preventing the two opponents from checkmating each other. A player can take advantage of one opponents position to checkmate the other, but must be careful that the third player does not checkmate first. White could checkmate red, only to have his piece captured by a black piece, which checkmates red. In this situation, white would lose since black delivers the final checkmating move. This strategy also applies to games which give the checkmating player command of the checkmated opponent's pieces- a player who allows the second player to checkmate the third would surely go on to lose due to the increased power of his remaining opponent, now armed with the third player's pieces.
See also
- Sannin shogiSannin shogiSannin shōgi , or in full kokusai sannin shōgi , is a three-person shogi variant invented circa 1930 by Tanigasaki Jisuke and recently revived. It is played on a hexagonal grid of border length 7 with 127 cells. Standard shogi pieces may be used, and the rules for capture, promotion, drops, etc...
, a three-handed shogi variantShogi variantMany variants of shogi have been developed over the centuries, ranging from some of the largest chess-type games ever played to some of the smallest...
played on a hexagonal board. - Three sided footballThree sided footballThree-sided football is a variation of football with three teams instead of the usual two. It was devised by the Danish Situationist Asger Jorn to explain his notion of triolectics, his refinement on the Marxian concept of dialectics, as well as to disrupt one's everyday idea of football...
, a variant of football played by three teams on a hexagonal pitch.